Canada PM renews attacks on Boeing over Bombardier challenge

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, renewing an attack on Boeing Co (BA.N), on Tuesday complained about what he called the U.S. plane maker’s “unfair and aggressive” trade challenge against Canadian rival Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO).

The comments were contained in a statement issued by Trudeau’s office after he spoke to the governor of Missouri, which is home to a Boeing plant that makes Super Hornet fighters.

After Boeing complained earlier this year that Bombardier was dumping passenger jets on the U.S. market, Trudeau’s Liberal government broke off contact with the company about the possible purchase of 18 Super Hornets.

“Canada is reviewing current military procurement that relates to Boeing, as Boeing is pursuing unfair and aggressive trade action against the Canadian aerospace sector,” said the statement, adding that Boeing received “billions in support” from various U.S. levels of government.

Trudeau and Missouri Governor Eric Greitens discussed the “possible purchase of Boeing’s Super Hornet fighter jets and the number of Missouri jobs that depend on the manufacturing of that aircraft”, the statement said.

Boeing will not drop the challenge against Bombardier, Boeing International President Marc Allen told the Globe and Mail newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday, noting that the company does C$4 billion ($3.23 billion) worth of business in Canada a year.

($1=S1.2379 Canadian)

Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Leslie Adler and Jonathan Oatis